Container covering apparatus with removable supports

Abstract

Disclosed is a covering system that includes plural supports and a cable. The cable may be advanced or retracted. The cable is connected, preferably by a fixed support, to a portion of the cover, whereby the cover may be advanced or retracted by moving the cable. At least some, preferably all, of the supports other than the terminal support are disposed in collars, the collars for the non-connected supports being threaded onto the cable. The collars and supports may be decoupled to permit removal of a support without the need to un-thread the collar and without the need to disturb other supports. The collars include plural separable cable sleeve portions that may be decoupled from one another to permit removal of the collar from the cable without un-threading the cable from other supports.

1. A covering apparatus comprising:
 a flexible cover; 
 a cable generally supporting said flexible cover, said cable being movable in a cover advancing direction and in a cover retracting direction, a portion of said cover being operably connected to said cable; 
 plural supports supporting said cover, at least some of said supports being disposed in a collar, said cable being threaded onto the support for each collar; 
 said collars being removably connected to said supports whereby one of said supports may be removed without un-threading said cable from said collar; 
 said collar comprising plural separable cable sleeve portions that may be decoupled from one another to permit removal of the collar from said cable and that, when assembled, define a channel for said cable. 
 
   
   
     2. A covering apparatus according to  claim 1 , including 3 to 15 supports. 
   
   
     3. A covering apparatus according to  claim 1 , a plurality of said supports each being disposed separately within a pocket in said cover. 
   
   
     4. A covering apparatus according to  claim 1 , said apparatus including a support that is affixed to said cable. 
   
   
     5. A covering apparatus according to  claim 1 , at least one of said collars comprising:
 a first collar portion, said first collar portion including a first collar portion cable sleeve section having a recess of semicircular cross-section and a first collar portion socket section having a socket recess; 
 a mating second collar portion, said second collar portion including a second collar portion cable sleeve section having a recess of semicircular cross-section and a second collar portion socket section having a socket recess; 
 said first and second collar portions mating to form an assembly in which said first and second collar portion cable sleeve sections define a cable channel and in which sand first and second collar portion socket sections define a support socket. 
 
   
   
     6. A vehicle comprising:
 a container; 
 a covering apparatus for said container, said covering apparatus comprising:
 a flexible cover; 
 a cable generally supporting said flexible cover, said cable being movable in a cover advancing direction and in a cover retracting direction, a portion of said cover being operably connected to said cable; 
 plural supports supporting said cover, at least some of said supports being disposed in a collar, said cable being threaded onto the support for each collar; 
 said collars being removably connected to said supports whereby one of said supports may be removed without un-threading said cable from said collar; 
 said collar comprising plural separable cable sleeve portions that may be decoupled from one another to permit removal of the collar from said cable and that, when assembled, define a channel for said cable; and 
 
 means for transporting said container. 
 
   
   
     7. A vehicle according to  claim 6 , said vehicle comprising an open-top truck. 
   
   
     8. A collar for a container covering system, comprising:
 a first collar portion, said first collar portion including a first collar portion cable sleeve section having a recess of semicircular cross-section and a first collar portion socket section having a socket recess; 
 a mating second collar portion, said second collar portion including a second collar portion cable sleeve section having a recess of semicircular cross-section and a second collar portion socket section having a socket recess; 
 said first and second collar portions mating to form an assembly in which said first and second collar portion cable sleeve sections define a cable channel and in which sand first and second collar portion socket sections define a support socket. 
 
   
   
     9. A kit comprising at least two collars, each collar comprising a collar of  claim 8 .